I found wreckage of Newport car crash where my best mate died after spotting marks – cops should have got there first

THE best friend of a man who was killed in a horrific car crash has slammed cops after he discovered the wreckage before police.

Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the smash in Cardiff along with Eve Smith and Darcy Ross while Sophie Russon and Shane Loughlin survived but remain in a serious condition.

The wreckage of the deadly crash was discovered by Matthew Pace, 45, and his son Lewis – who was close friends with Rafel.

They had only been searching for 15 minutes when they stopped on the roundabout where the Volkswagen Tiguan carrying Sophie Russon, Shane Loughlin, Rafel Jeanne, Eve Smith and Darcy Ross flew off the road into trees.

Rafel, 24, Eve, 21, and Darcy, 21, were all killed while Shane, 32, and Sophie, 20, are fighting for their lives in hospital.

Lewis said he and Rafel were "best mates" and had last spoken to him on Thursday night.

He added: “I'm devastated. I can't cope, I can't eat. It's just devastating.

"When I saw them skid marks, obviously I was praying that it was nothing to do with it and it turns out it was.

"I was just praying it wasn't, of course, I was just praying it wasn't them.

"Obviously I didn't think anything of it until I saw he was reported missing, I saw comments on Facebook that the police were not taking it seriously, obviously they deffo should have been."

The pair were friends "for years through football".

Lewis said: “He was a very good kid.

"We were very very close, we did most things together.

"He's just hilarious, honestly the best way to describe him is just funny, like he's always up for a laugh. I just miss him already."

Within minutes of the police taping off the crash site dozens of friends and family members descended on the scene.

Matthew was searching for the group’s car with son Lewis, 26, a friend of Rafel.

The pair from Cardiff said: “I stopped after Lewis noticed some tyre tracks going off the roundabout into some trees.

“We pulled up and were walking towards the trees and thought I saw a headlight glinting.

“The next minute a plain clothes police car pulled up and said they assumed we were looking for the missing car.

“We said we thought it might be in those trees.

“They radioed in to the helicopter and shone flashlights to guide it in.

“I’m assuming the helicopter confirmed the car was there because the next minute it went crazy.

“They taped it off and then police came from everywhere.”

Matthew had picked Lewis up from a mate’s house around 11.45pm on Sunday to help the search.

Minutes later they spotted the tyre tracks at St Mellon’s roundabout.

Matthew said: “The police took over so luckily I didn’t actually have to see the wreckage.

“They might have been there even longer if we hadn’t got out.

“If they were found sooner maybe there would be better news.

I would have thought the police would have been looking from the moment they were reported missing on Saturday.”

Matthew added: “They wouldn’t let anyone near it. It was just horrific.”

Now police have referred themselves to a watchdog for an investigation.

Today Assistant Chief Constable Jason Davies of South Wales Police said: “Our thoughts are with the families of all those affected by this tragic incident. 

“Specialist officers are carrying out an investigation to piece together what has happened. 

“Family liaison officers are supporting the families involved at what must be a hugely difficult time for them.

“To ensure independent oversight, South Wales Police has referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, as is usual in these circumstances.”

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hoborough of Gwent Police added: "We will continue to support the investigation and would ask members of the public to refrain from speculation during this period."

It comes after Sophie’s mum Anna Cerowicz said she called Gwent Police 20 times over Saturday and Sunday, only to be told her daughter was probably still partying.

A frantic Anna went searching for Sophie herself.

The mum-of-three said: “I drove past three times.

“Sophie was 20 yards away lying there scared, next to her friends who were dead.

“But I didn’t see her because of the trees and there was a dip.

“She was lying there wondering if help would ever arrive.

“She must have thought she was going to die.

“She was calling out at times but no one could hear her.

“It would have got light and then dark as night fell on Saturday, then she had to go through that again until she was found.”

Police finally escalated the inquiry, which included launching a helicopter search.

At midnight Anna had a call from her older daughter Georgia, 23, saying the car had been found by a member of the public searching for the pals.

And she blasted Gwent Police for not taking the disappearance of her daughter and her friends seriously.

Anna said: “The next 48 hours are critical - she is having surgery now and we are hoping and praying.

“I can’t stop thinking about how Sophie had to lie there wondering if she would ever be found.”

Friends of the three girls also slammed the search carried out by cops - with many wondering if more of the friends could have survived if found earlier.

Tamzin Samuels, 20, said: “I do think the police could have done a lot more in putting the helicopters out earlier.

“They only posted the appeal an hour before the girls were found. We found them before the police found them - we rang the police.

“The search party found the girls before the police found the girls.

“I think that speaks volumes really, they had all that equipment, and we had cars when we were looking.

“They were really popular girls, the life of the party, and it was really out of character for them to do what they did, which is why we knew something was wrong.”